With the increasing complexity of commercial organizations, industry is seeking to track the location and use of inventory and equipment with increasing specificity and detail. Accordingly, various industries are turning to asset tracking systems that include electronically readable identification tags. More recently, industry has turned to active identification systems, such as active radio frequency identification systems. Active radio frequency identification systems generally include radio frequency identification tags that periodically transmit radio frequency signals. To facilitate transmission of the periodic signals, the active radio frequency identification tags typically include an internal power source and a radio frequency transmitter. However, many jurisdictions restrict the transmission of radio frequency signals and the internal power sources of such radio frequency identification tags are often limited in the total amount of power that can be supplied.
Radio frequency transmissions are typically regulated by various jurisdictions including countries and international regulatory authorities in which a radio frequency identification tag can be used. In particular, radio frequency transmissions are often limited, discouraged, and restricted in transportation vehicles such as airplanes. Conventional radio frequency identification tags are often manufactured in one country and transported to another country for use. As such, radio frequency transmissions emanating from the radio frequency identification tags may be regulated by more than one jurisdiction and may be prohibited or restricted during transport.
In addition, power supplies of conventional radio frequency identification tags are limited and expensive to replace relative to the cost of the tag. Power expended between a time of manufacture and a time of use is wasted.
Accordingly, an improved asset tracking system would be desirable.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.